Star defender Puyol not for sale, Barca tell United
Barcelona vice-president Sandro Rosell has issued a ´hands off´ warning to Manchester United over defender Carles Puyol.
Rumours are circulating in Spain that Sir Alex Ferguson is planning a 20m-euro raid for Puyol.
The front page of Wednesday morning´s El Mundo Deportivo claimed that United were preparing to swoop.
The report said: " Directors of the English club could soon be in contact with FC Barcelona to investigate the possibility of taking the defender from the Nou Camp and making him a ´Red Devil´.
" El Mundo Deportivo has discovered from reliable sources that the English club would be willing to put a figure of around 20m euros on the table.´´
But Rosell moved quickly to try and quash the gossip.
" I have heard rumours about this but nobody official has said anything to us,´´ he said.
" Carles is very important to Barcelona and we would not sell him for 20m euros."
That may not be enough to end the speculation, however, with Barcelona´s finances said to be stretched following the three-year-reign of former president Joan Gaspart and this year´s extensive rebuilding program under new chief Joan Laporta.
Barca could find themselves forced to consider a serious bid for Puyol, even though he signed a new contract last season.
That would upset Barca fans, as Puyol has been one of the side´s most consistent performers of late and now looks like a fixture in the Spanish national squad.
His strength and ability to play at either right back or centre half make him an attractive proposition for any club, including, if the reports are to be believed, the Old Trafford giants.
encore un joueur raté . Quelqu´un a une solution ?